Book Tour for Seductive Powers by Rebecca Royce (Review & GIVEAWAY)

I'm honored to be hosting Rebecca Royce again today with her superhero story, Seductive Powers.  Keep reading for a brief glimpse of this book and learn even more through my impressions of it.  Make sure to fill out the form below for your chance to win a $50 Amazon GC too!

Wendy Warner is a bit of an oddball. Raised in an orphanage, she’s found solace and friendship by watching the television show, Space Adventures, and participating in its fan clubs. Twice a month, Wendy comes to work dressed in a costume from the show that she wears to charity events. She’s been able to ignore the looks of disdain from many of her coworkers, but when the president of the company gazes at her with something more, she knows she’s in deep.

Draco Powers rather likes the way the uniform hugs all her curves in just the right places. He’s also a real-life Guardian who told the word that, yes, some people had superhuman abilities, but, no, they wouldn’t work for free or without health insurance. Some people refer to him with derision as the
“Capitalist Guardian.” While Draco doesn’t care what he’s called, he’s also being hunted by a group called the Organization whose motives are unclear and yet still cause death and destruction wherever they go.

The Organization has decied that Draco’s biggest weakness is the way he cares about his employees and has chosen Wendy as their next target. To save her, Draco will have to come to terms with his real feelings and the reason he’s long resisted complicated relationships...but he’s running out of time.

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

As a fan of superhero stories I was immediately drawn to this first book in The Capes series where action sequences seamlessly blended with romance to make an exciting and heart-wrenching journey to HEA.  Along the way we're introduced to a spunky heroine proud of her geek status and a slew of superheroes humanized through their interactions with humans willing to put their lives on the line to save others.  A particular brotherly duo must work together to save the woman they care for, one who sees her as a sister and the other who sees her as his fantasy woman, from a radical group whose hatred of superheroes gains strength every day in numerous pulse-pounding scenes.

Wendy has been Guardian Draco's personal assistant for four years and been fighting her attraction to him all that time.  Seeing him with countless models makes her feel unworthy of him though as she's got curves, difficulty in social situations, and an obsession with online gaming and a sci-fi TV show.  For a woman brought up in an orphanage the only family she has are through her gaming and TV fandom, so it's a lonely life she leads that often has her wishing for a family of her own.  I adored Wendy and her unabashed love of a sci-fi show and its moral code by which she lives by and is inspired by.  She's spunky and is a breath of sunshine when things are bleak.  She's very naive when it comes to matters of sex and seeing her learn firsthand about the birds and the bees is surprisingly sweet and definitely sexy with the charming Draco being her teacher.

Draco had a harsh childhood with a father who abandoned him and his brother Ace leaving them to fend for themselves.  Being a superhero didn't make them rich until Draco founded a company where heroes are for hire.  It's a dangerous life he leads with secrecy being very important as he never wants his loved ones put in jeopardy because of him.  It's getting harder to keep Wendy at arms length once her life is threatened and bringing her to his home, where no other woman has been, makes him even more attracted to her and desperate to be the truly heroic man she sees in him.  Draco is sometimes arrogant but always charming.  He's extremely loyal to those he cares about and his brotherly interactions with Ace were playful and heartwarmingly realistic.  In his protective mode he felt the need to control everything which led to him becoming consumed by work and weighed down by responsibility that made me ache for him and happy that Wendy could bring comfort and joy to his life.

Though we see a few other secondary superheroes the main focus is on Ace who's boyishly carefree and charming.  His abilities aren't always easy to deal with and I found myself wanting to comfort him after his fight scenes.  He's loyal to his brother but not afraid to tell him when he's wrong.  His protectiveness towards Wendy was sweet and truly sisterly and it was at that moment that I saw a little family forming and it brought a tear to my eye.  Complimenting the fast-paced and exhilarating action sequences was a steamy romance full of sexual tension that culminated in a memorable sexual interlude.  The mystery of who's trying to hurt Draco through those he loves is well done but with a villain that I found to be obvious and a rather bland comeuppance for his dastardly deeds.  From start to finish I found myself completely immersed in this story, it's compelling and heartfelt characters, and am greatly looking forward to Ace's book as a secret come to life late in this story should make for interesting ramifications in the next story.

My rating for this is an A-

*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Rebecca Royce is a wife, mother, and author of over 40 romances that range from steamy to sweet.  She can be found running around Austin, TX with her kids or locked away in her room creating new worlds to satisfy her overactive imagination.  Rebecca loves to hear from readers, please drop her a line!

WEBSITE:  www.rebeccaroyce.com​
FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-Royce/172551376131638
TWITTER:  www.twitter.com/rebeccaroyce

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Book Tour for Surrender to Love by JC Valentine (Review & GIVEAWAY)

We're ending the week on a steamy note with Surrender to Love by J.C. Valentine.  Keep reading to get a glimpse of this book through my impressions of it and by visiting the other blogs hosting this tour.  Make sure to fill out the form for your chance to win a $10 bookstore GC, a book, and swag!

After finding herself out of luck and out of love, Patricia Jacobs has written off the male species. No one but her father has ever given her the love and devotion she knows she deserves, and she’s sick and tired of it. Until she collides, literally, with a man whose devastating smile and seductive charm that should be considered illegal, destroys her plans. He’s everything she’s ever dreamed of in a man: handsome, intelligent, successful, they share a love of cars and best of all; he looks at her like she’s his light in the dark. What more could a girl ask for?
Jonathon Bradshaw, destroyed by a past that has haunted his every waking moment for the last five years, isn’t looking for a serious relationship, until he meets Patricia. Sweet, saucy and as hot as the summer is long, Jon can’t deny the draw he has toward her. For the first time, he has hope. Determined to shake the ghosts of his past, Jon focuses on forging a future with Patti, but he’s always been a master at standing in his own way. 
When Jon’s past refuses to be forgotten, will Patti be able to live with the truth about the man who’s stolen her heart?

EXCERPT:

“Sorry, sorry,” she said as she stumbled into the living room. She had on one very high, black heel and was hopping around on it while trying to pull on the other. “I know I took longer than I said I would, but beauty takes time.” Finally managing to loop her shoe over her heel, she stood up tall and presented him with a dazzling smile. “Ready?”
Jon stared. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her even if he wanted to. Dressed in a token little black dress that left her shoulders bare and cupped her breasts with loving hands and ended at mid-thigh, exposing her lean, toned legs, he was sure he had died and gone to heaven.
Noticing the look on his face, Patti’s steps faltered. “Everything okay?” She frowned down at herself, smoothing her hands over the formfitting dress. “I just realized, I didn’t bother to ask where we were going tonight. Should I change into something else?”
Realizing what an ass he was making of himself, Jon shook his head and stood. With his eyes glued to hers, he crossed the room to stand in front of her. “You look incredible. Don’t change a thing.” Unable to resist the allure of her curvaceous body, he reached out his hand and let his fingers skim lightly across the slinky material clinging to her taut stomach like a second skin. He felt the muscles tighten beneath his touch, and took it as his cue to get even closer.
“Should we be going?” he asked, gliding his palm down her arm and enfolding her hand in his.
She smiled shyly, dropping her gaze. That single moment of vulnerability set in stone Jon’s determination to get to know her beyond the purely physical. She wasn’t just the hard ass, tough as nails woman he’d met before. She had softness to buffer her rough edges, and he found that quality beyond sexy. “Sure, let me just grab my purse.”
After she locked up, Jon led her to his truck.
“I see you got a new car.”
“It’s a truck, actually,” he said with a teasing smile.
Patricia smacked him in the side playfully with the back of her hand, surprising him. “I can see it’s a truck.” She smirked. “I just figured you for the luxury sedan type.”
“I’m whatever fancies me at the moment type,” Jon told her honestly.

BUY AT AMAZON here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Those wanting a nice mix of romance and angst will get exactly that in Surrender to Love.  It's an intensely emotional journey as two people let their pasts control their future.  Through life altering events they realize the importance of moving on in a HEA that is full of tears and misunderstandings.  All through the story though are numerous hot encounters amidst one or two cliched moments that left me frustrated along with a hero that's far from perfect.

Jon is still reeling from a devastating event in his past that has led to him closing parts of himself off.  He's living his life for someone else as his personal form of punishment, not allowing any long-term happiness.  He flits from one woman to another never letting himself get close which led me to see him in an unsavory light at first.  He was a true player before he met Patricia and love definitely had him becoming more supportive and less guilt-ridden.

Patricia too is living her life for someone else after the death of her father has her embracing fast cars.  She continues to be the daughter her father always wanted while alienating her mother.  She's reckless which makes for a rocky road to happiness as Jon frowns upon that kind of behavior.  I like that Patricia is strong-willed and doesn't let a man walk all over her.  She sticks up for herself and isn't afraid to go toe to toe with Jon in an argument.  An event happens late in the story though that greatly annoyed me in its soap opera nature and had me thinking that Patricia should've acted less like a flighty teenager and more like a modern woman.

Though I had a few issues with the protagonists they ultimately won me over as the healing power of love helped heal them and pointed them towards the future.  The secondary characters, the friends to our main couple, were fun and very vocal in speaking their minds.  They were supportive, playful in their banter, and easy to relate to.  From start to finish this was an emotional story with lots of sexual encounters that felt like a soap opera at times but kept me fully invested in the outcome.

My rating for this is a B-

*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

J.C. Valentine is the alter-ego of Brandi Salazar, whose enjoyment of erotic tales of romance spurred her to branch out and create her own.
Brandi Salazar lives in the Northwest with her husband, their wild children, and far too many pets. As a university student, she studies literature, which goes well with her dream to become an editor. Brandi entertains a number of hobbies including reading and photography, but her first love is writing fiction-in all its forms.

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/JCValetineAuthor
WEBSITE:  http://jcvalentine.weebly.com/
TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/brandellavanela
GOODREADS:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6571021.J_C_Valentine

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Book Tour for Born in Chains by Caris Roane (GIVEAWAY)

As a fan of the paranormal I found the synopsis for Born in Chains by Caris Roane utterly intriguing and the book cover completely drool-worthy.  Keep reading to see if you agree with me and make sure to fill out the form below for your chance at books and other fun swag items!

In the epic battle of vampire against vampire, one warrior’s fate is bound to a mortal woman who controls him, commands him, and craves him like no other…

CHAINED FOR LIFE

Two years ago, the rogue vampires invaded Lily Haven’s home and kidnapped her son. Now, if she hopes to see her child again, she must do the unthinkable—bind herself, body and soul, to a vampire warrior.  She must choose one of the rogue army’s prisoners of war and force him to do her bidding. But when she sees the warrior Adrien, naked, beaten, and straining against his chains, it is she who is held captive…

HUNGRY FOR MORE

Adrien has been waiting for her. A beautiful woman who appears to him in visions. Who soothes his tortured body, feeds his erotic cravings—and quenches his thirst for blood. But Lily is more than he ever hoped for. She is the master of his destiny, and he is her willing slave. Even when she asks him to find the ultimate weapon for his enemies, he must obey her. Even if the task destroys them both, he will fight for her love, forever…

BUY LINKS:   Amazon  //  BN

AUTHOR INFO:

Caris Roane has published nine paranormal novels and novellas and writing as Valerie King, fifty Regency works.  In 2005, Romantic Times gave her a Career Achievement award in Regency Romance.  As Caris Roane, she currently writes paranormal romance for St. Martin’s Press and also self-publishes the continuing stories for her Guardians of Ascension series as well as stories set in other worlds.

Website /  Facebook  / Twitter  / Goodreads

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Book Tour for Playing the Playboy by Noelle Adams (GIVEAWAY)

I'm bringing a bit of steam to your Thanksgiving courtesy of Playing the Playboy by Noelle Adams, a sensual battle between two feuding families.  Keep reading to get a glimpse of this book along with the first book in the Heirs of Damon series as well.  Make sure to fill out the form below for your chance to win a $25 bookstore GC and an e-copy of this steamy read......

Seducing the Enemy

Heirs of Damon, Book 1

After being injured in a tragic accident as a child, Marietta Edwards has lived a sheltered life. Finally recovered, she wants to indulge in pleasures that are entirely new to her, so she begins by seducing a sexy, mysterious stranger. Only after their one-night stand does she learn their families have been embroiled in a fifteen-year legal battle and the man she’s given herself to is her worst enemy.
The heir to a vast fortune, Harrison Damon believes the unforgettable night he spent with Marietta in Monte Carlo is just a fling, an escape from his responsibilities. Then he discovers she is an Edwards—the family he despises most. He can’t quench his attraction for her, but he won’t let her use it against him. He won’t let her manipulate him to win money from his family. No matter how much he wants her, he won’t let her seduce him again.

Amazon | BN | Kobo

Playing the Playboy

Heirs of Damon, Book 2

Laurel will do anything to save her Santorini inn from the powerful Damon family, and that includes manipulating Andrew Damon, the man they’ve sent to get her off the property.  Andrew might have a reputation for being irresistible to women, but she won’t have any problem resisting him. This is war, after all, and the Damons drew their weapons first.

Andrew has spent most of his life chasing women and wasting time, but he’s determined to do his duty by his family, even if that means ousting an infuriating (and gorgeous) widow from the inn that legally belongs to the Damons.  He doesn’t expect to fall for her. And he definitely doesn’t expect to discover that he’s been played.

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  ARe

WATCH THE TRAILER AT YOUTUBE here.

AUTHOR INFO:

Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she teaches English, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.
She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.

WEBSITE:  http://noelle-adams.com/Home_Page.html
FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/NoelleAdamsAuthor
TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/NoelleAdams3
GOODREADS:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6572847.Noelle_Adams

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Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who stop by and comment!  You keep me reading and reviewing when I feel overwhelmed and I appreciate all of you wonderful readers out there.  Have a very Happy Thanksgiving with your friends and family and eat lots of goodies, making sure to leave plenty of time for reading afterwards.

Book Tour for Shadow of a Man by Maria Hammarblad (Review)

As a sci-fi fan I'm excited to have Maria Hammarblad back today with her novella, Shadow of a Man.  Keep reading to find out what makes a good sci-fi story courtesy of the author, along with my impressions of her book.

In my opinion, there’s one basic premise that must be fulfilled to make an interesting story regardless of genre: it must make readers care what happens. Whether it’s science fiction, fantasy, a thriller, or something happening in a historical setting, the reader needs to be interested in the characters and their fate. 

The forest can be immensely dark and scary, the palace vast with marble floors and tremendous chandeliers, or the spaceship engines so clever they could almost work, but if there aren’t any people there, who cares? I might stay up at night to imagine my own interplanetary drive, but I’m not likely to stay up reading about someone else’s. The hero in great peril is a completely different matter. In that situation I have to know if the heroine will arrive in time to save him, and with the character’s life at stake, logic dictating two in the morning is past my bedtime doesn’t stand a chance. 

This sounds self-evident, but trust me, as a writer it’s really easy to get caught up in details. Also – in my opinion – this is where many science fiction authors stumble and fall headfirst. Sci-fi writers generally have a burning interest in science, the future, and space. If we didn’t, we’d be writing something else. This interest poses both a trap and an opportunity. 

I know exactly what the spaceships in my books look like, I know what the worlds look like, how big a space station is in relation to the hero’s ship, and I have a general idea of how I want the ships and worlds to work. Most of my readers couldn’t care less. They want to know if the heroine will make it back home in spite of being abducted by a crazy murderer. 

Here’s the thing though; whatever details about science and worlds make it into the finished story must be plausible. I’m not saying it has to be real or invented yet, but it must be somewhat credible. If nothing in the book sounds like it could be real, no one will believe it, and readers will lose interest without even knowing why they’re bored. If it does seem real, it can be both thought provoking and fascinating. 

Remember I said the interest in science/future/space is both a trap and an opportunity? The interest will drive writers to learn more and perform actual research. Incorporating elements of reality will make a better story. On the other hand, it will also tempt writers to put too much theory in there. Everyone’s different, of course, but unless it’s woven into the story, page after page with details about imaginary artificial gravity would bore me to tears. 

There’s much more to science fiction, of course. Many books offer provocative ideas, take readers to a dystopian future, show how new technology can impact our lives, or why not speculate in someone travelling back in time, changing history. The same basic ideas apply; whether gruesome or jolly, the story needs to be entertaining, and at least somewhat feasible. 

What do you think? What is important to you when you read?

There might be a place Theresa fears more than Borealis, but she can't think of one. The old and decrepit station houses all sorts of cruelty, and to make it better, this is where her husband Dominic was imprisoned, drugged, and tortured. He returned a mere shadow of his old self, scarred by abuse and Uudon withdrawal.

Borealis is the last place Theresa wants to go, and the only one she can't escape. Dominic's apparent madness does nothing to alleviate her fears. Her once sweet husband has turned into a womanizing monster, and will destroy anyone who gets in her way.

Geo, her faithful and all too handsome bodyguard, appears to be the only one on her side. He once helped rescue Dominic, and pays for the insurrection with a lifetime on the run. This might be a situation not even he can handle, and Theresa fears none of them will make it out alive.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Though this story is short on word count it packed a lot of action into its small package and kept me intrigued from start to finish.  It felt as though it was laying the groundwork for a more epic story and succeeded in whetting my appetite for more with its subtle romance and secretive mission.  Along with a compelling storyline is an intriguing cast of characters hurt by their pasts trying to do what's right but creating heartache with an unexpected ending.

Dominic has returned a changed man after being saved by Geo from imprisonment.  He's now a womanizing drunk prone to violence who's alienating his wife through his actions.  His actions have a bigger purpose though that is just hinted at here but appear to have far sweeping implications.  Theresa is the kind of woman to stand by her man no matter what but she's confused by her feelings for the two men in her life who are both trying to keep her safe in their own ways.  She's a bit naive about the harsh realities of the universe which puts her in danger while bringing her closer to Geo, whose job has been to guard her with his life.  Geo has a secretive past that had him physically altering his looks so returning to Borealis puts him in jeopardy but doesn't stop him from sticking close to Theresa, the woman he's become attracted to and who stands by her after a heartbreaking event befalls them.

There's only a hint of romance in this story, a love triangle sanctioned by a man who knows Theresa deserves better.  Considering how likable the characters are, even at their low moments, I wish we could've seen them on a more personal level.  I wish too that Dominic's plan were clearer as his actions speak of a man determined to right some very big wrongs.  Though this story leaves a lot of questions unanswered, the exciting and intriguing storyline has me wanting to revisit this enthralling world Ms. Hammarblad has created.

My rating for this is an B+

*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Born in Sweden in the early 1970's, Maria showed a large interest for books at an early age. Even before she was able to read or write, she made her mom staple papers together into booklets she filled with drawings of suns and planets. She proudly declared them, "The Sun Book." They were all about the sun. She also claimed, to her mother's horror, that her being on Earth was a big mistake and that her alien family would come and bring her home at any moment. This never happened, but both the interest in space and the passion for bookmaking stayed with her.

As an adult Maria's creativity got an outlet through playing bass in a number of rock bands, and through writing technical manuals and making web pages for various companies and organizations. She did write drafts for a few novels, but the storytelling muse was mostly satisfied through role playing online on Myspace. It was here, while writing stories together with people from around the globe, she stumbled onto Mike. They started talking out of character, and she moved over to Florida to him late 2008. Today the two are married and live in the Tampa Bay area with three rescue dogs.

Besides writing and playing bass, Maria enjoys driving off-road, archery, and Tameshigiri.

Upcoming releases:  Borealis XII, to be released by Desert Breeze Publishing November 2013

Fun Facts........
Favorite color:  Blue
Favorite food:  Chicken with cashew nuts
Doesn't eat:  Mammals
Favorite TV Show:  Star Trek TNG and Leverage
Favorite animal:  Border Collie
Quotes:  "Full Speed Ahead" and "Caffeine is good for you"

WEBSITE:  http://www.hammarblad.com
FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/mariahammarblad
BLOG:  http://www.scifiromance.info
TWITTER:  @mariahammarblad
GOODREADS:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4114780.Maria_Hammarblad
PUBLISHER'S WEBSITE:  http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com

Book Tour for Under His Kilt by Melissa Blue (Review & GIVEAWAY)

As a fan of steamy reads I'm excited to bring Melissa Blue to you today with her newest release, Under His Kilt.  Keep reading to get a tantalizing glimpse of this book along with my impressions of it and learn even more by visiting the other blogs hosting this tour.  Make sure to fill out the form below for your chance to win a $25 bookstore GC too!

Jocelyn Pearson is determined to spend her last month as a twenty-something doing everything she's too busy or scared to try. Her imagination runs wild and then fixates on Ian Baird. He'll be working at the Langston Museum for a short stint as a consulting curator. He's Scottish. He believes sex is fun to be had. He's the perfect choice for a fling. She only has to get him break his rule about sleeping with co-workers. Seducing a man was on her bucket list...
Ian is no one's fool and knows exactly what Jocelyn wants—him. If she didn't work for the Langston Museum, he'd be more than happy to oblige any and every fantasy she desired, but she's the curator. She's sweet, inexperienced and well liked by everyone including the museum owner and director. Ian can't risk losing such an important contact for his consulting business. Not even when everything within in him craves a taste of her.
When Jocelyn sets her sights on him, there's no way Ian can deny her. They agree their affair will end in thirty days. No emotions, no entanglements, just sex. The closer the end date looms, they start to question if it's possible to walk away. They'll either have to come to terms of what they've become or stick to their original agreement.

EXCERPT:

And then a thought struck her sideways. A man who'd done all the things Ian had probably didn't need much goading to do what he clearly already wanted to do. All those moments where he'd been one muscle twitch from jumping hadn't been in her imagination. They both kept that boundary in place. What would happen if she tore it away? Ian couldn't cross a line that didn't exist. He'd built his career by being smart, courageous and certain. Not much changed his mind unless he wanted to be persuaded. And Ian wanted her. She was sure of it.
The thought sunk its teeth in. Her skin flushed and she did her best not to glance up with a grin that would look as mischievous as she felt. No, what she'd do next wasn't world domination. She just needed to make Ian lose control and break his goddamn rule. One, it seemed, he wanted to break anyway.
“I don't know what to do,” she said, trying for sex kitten and not sure if it was working. “What makes you pick up a woman in a bar?”
His white-gloved hands froze over the ritual ax, and something passed behind his gaze she couldn't describe much less distill into a single word. “She's attractive and breathing.”
She snorted and lost the hold on her sex kitten. “No really.”
He considered her again, sighing. “Do you plan to walk up to him?”
“Exactly.”
“Well, start with your walk. More leg and hip action. Not like those models who trot like horses. Sensual. Seductive.Understated. The kind of sway a man can imagine you being on top of him moving the same way.”
With a sly smile she stood. His gaze narrowed on her. She scrounged up every thought of being on top of a man, his cock sliding in and out, how it would feel rising up and down, his fingers gliding over her waist, up to her breasts and fixed those thoughts in her mind and walked toward him. She stopped a few feet from him and raised a brow. “Like that?”
His hands gripped the ax. “Passable, but now put that movement into thought and there in your gaze.”
She thought of Ian's fingers digging into her waist and holding her still so he could thrust into her. “Passable?”
He made a noncommittal noise. “Just like that, Lass.”
But he wasn't joking when he said it this time. Not with the way he spoke so softly, but a bit of a growl could be heard in the back of his throat. Her nipples hardened as though his voice was something tangible and could scrape against the sensitive tips. She had to swallow. “And then what?”

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  KOBO  |  ARe  |  SMASHWORDS

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

As a reader obsessed with heroes with accents I found myself drawn to Scotsman Ian and his damaged heart that has him fighting his intense feelings for the sweet-natured Jocelyn and her naughty fantasies just waiting to be fulfilled in this super steamy story.  Fans of erotica will find all the hot and sweaty sexual encounters they can handle in this short yet satisfyingly sensual read with a nice dose of angst thrown into the storyline as well.  With its fast pace and slowly yet steadily building relationship it's an enticing journey watching Ian and Jocelyn fight their attraction and their inevitable HEA that's apparent to us long before they figure it out in a battle of wills.

Ian's view of marriage and commitment has been tainted by his parent's unhappy marriage that kept his mother traveling non-stop.  He doesn't want a woman to go through what his dad did, sitting home alone waiting for their loved one to return.  He admits his casual relationships just for sex make him an ass but at least he's honest.  Until now he could always walk away, but there's something about Joce that calls to him and arouses feelings of jealousy.  He wants more from her, something long-term that he'll have to fight for in an ending that kept me on the edge of my seat to see who would admit their true feelings first.  In his heart Ian was like a little boy sometimes in his desire to be loved.  He loved home cooked meals and waking up beside someone every morning but it was something he never thought could happen and I ached for his sadness.  Seeing him with Joce showed a more carefree man who I was drawn to.

Jocelyn has always done the right thing, been the good girl.  On the eve of her thirtieth birthday she realizes that she hasn't really been living and sets out to do all those naughty fantasies and more.....with Ian.  She knows there's mutual attraction between them and the sexual tension sizzling between them is blatantly apparent and has her goading him into being her sexual guide.  She's aware of his rules and it's a constant struggle to not let herself get carried away with him.  That's why it's a shock when he starts acting more like a boyfriend in heartwarmingly mundane scenes like buying a puppy.  As their time together comes to an end their lovemaking becomes more frantic and intimate and the one thing always forbidden, a kiss, consumes them like air and throws their futures completely off kilter.

This was a straightforward story mostly about sex that didn't leave much room for more, but with a surprising amount of emotions and heart.  Silly misunderstandings kept these two likable characters from their HEA and let fear hold them back but together they've finally started to live.  This was an enticing story from start to finish and I recommend it to those wanting a fantasy of their own.

 My rating for this is a B+

*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Melissa Blue's writing career started on a typewriter one month after her son was born. This would have been an idyllic situation for a writer if it had been 1985, not 2004. Eventually she upgraded to a computer. She's still typing away on the same computer, making imaginary people fall in love.

WEBSITE:  http://www.themelissablue.com
BLOG:  http://melthegreatest.blogspot.com
FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/themelissablue.author
TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/mel_thegreat

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